A.    Purpose.

Explains required personal protective equipment and responsibility for supervision, purchase, and inspection of this equipment.

Applies to all university departments and activities.

In compliance with the provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of North Carolina, the following shall apply to personal protective equipment.

1.    Requirements for Use of Protective Equipment.
Protective equipment shall be provided, used, and maintained in a sanitary and reliable condition when work hazards are encountered that could cause injury or impairment in the function of any part of the body through absorption, inhalation, or physical contact.

Hazards include but are not limited to

• Hazard of processes or environment
• Chemical hazards
• Radiological hazards
• Mechanical hazards.
Protective equipment includes but is not limited to
• Protective clothing and foot protection
• Respiratory devices
• Protective shields and barriers
• Other personal protective equipment for eyes, face, head, and extremities.
Refer to the General Personal Protective Equipment Guide (see Appendix A) as established by the North Carolina Department of Labor to assist in determining protective equipment required for specific hazardous conditions.

2.    Determination of Need for Protective Equipment.
The employee's supervisor has the primary responsibility for determining the need for personal protective equipment. The Environmental Health and Safety Director shall be available for consultation.

3.    Cost to Employee.
The university, as an employer, will furnish at no cost to the employee certain personal protective equipment required by the job, laboratory assignment, or activity.

Exceptions:

• The employee pays the cost of an eye examination when prescription safety glasses are required.
•    Each pair of safety shoes billed to the university is not to exceed the $80.00 allowance (or the contract cost of the shoes if less than $80.00).  Any additional cost of the safety shoes would be paid by the employee to the vendor at the time of purchase.
4.    Purchase and Maintenance.
It is the responsibility of each department or activity to provide employees or students with personal protective equipment purchased with department funds. Each department is also responsible for paying for required tests and inspections for personal protective equipment including, but not limited to, electrician's gloves, radiation dosimeters, and radioactive wipe tests.

5.    Supervision.
It is the responsibility of every manager, supervisor, laboratory instructor, employee, or student to see that all persons in a hazard area properly wear and maintain the personal protective equipment as required by this procedure.

6.    Inspections and Stop Work Orders.
The Environmental Health and Safety Department has the authority to inspect any department or activity for compliance with this procedure. Officers of the Environmental Health and Safety Department also have the authority to order an immediate halt to any activity wherever serious safety violations are observed that could result in injury or death to any person.

7.    Violations.
Violations of this Administrative Procedure shall be grounds for disciplinary action on the basis of job performance. (See Procedure HR 6.10, SPA Employee Progressive Disciplinary Action.) Noted violations shall be reported for administrative handling as follows:

• EPA faculty and administrators will be reported to the appropriate Director, Chair, Dean, or Vice Chancellor.
• SPA staff and administrators will be reported to the appropriate supervisor.
• Students will be reported to the appropriate faculty supervisor or Dean of Students for a violation of the Code of Student Life.

1.    General.
All personal protective equipment shall be purchased by the department or activity following normal purchasing procedures. All personal protective equipment must meet O.S.H.A. or other applicable standards.

2.    Special Procedures for Safety Shoes.
Safety shoes must be purchased from a state contract vendor. Copies of the state contract shoe catalogs can be seen in Purchasing Services. Each employee required to wear safety shoes will select them from shoes available on state contract and will inform his or her supervisor of the shoes selected and the correct size. The department will order the shoes selected through routine university purchasing procedures.  The university will pay for one pair of safety shoes per year. The cost to be paid by the university is not to exceed $80.00 (or the contract price of the shoes if less than $80.00) and will be charged to the department's six-digit account number plus object code 2130. Any additional cost of safety shoes would be paid by the employee to the vendor at the time of purchase.

3.    Special Procedures for Safety Glasses.

a.    Prescription Safety Glasses.   Each employee required to wear safety glasses (as determined by his or her supervisor) who requires prescription glasses shall obtain the prescription data from an eye-care professional. If an eye exam is required in order to receive prescription information, the employee must pay for the examination. The eye-care professional must complete and sign an Optical Order Form available from the Environmental Health and Safety Director. The employee then selects the frame style from those available on state contract. The completed Optical Order Form is returned to the Environmental Health and Safety Department for review, and then presented to the employee's supervisor for processing through routine purchasing procedures. The account to be charged shall be the department's six-digit account number plus object code 2161.

b.    Non-Prescription Safety Glasses.   An employee required to wear safety glasses (as determined by his or her supervisor) who does not require prescription glasses will be furnished safety glasses or goggles, as appropriate, at no cost to the employee. Departments may order non-prescription safety glasses from Central Stores. (See AUX 4.10.) The account to be charged shall be the department's six-digit account number plus object code 2161.
 

4.    Other Personal Protective Equipment.
The purchase of personal protective equipment other than safety shoes or safety glasses should be charged to the department's six-digit account number plus object code 2160.

Procedure No. PSD 1.20                                                 Effective: July 1, 1997

Appendix A - General Personal Protective Equipment Guide

NOTE: Where "100% UNCW" is indicated in this guide, it shall be interpreted as meaning,
for funding purposes, that the equipment costs will be paid 100% by the university department
or activity sponsoring the activity.

EQUIPMENT	GUIDE
1.  Eye Protection
a.  Safety glasses: 100% UNCW            except that employees who wear           prescription glasses pay for the            cost of the examination.	As required to protect employee from eye  hazards, such as optical radiation or glare when only frontal protection is required. Shaded or special purpose lenses may be required
b.  Safety glasses with side shields:          100% UNCW except that employees           who wear prescription glasses pay           for the cost of the examination.	As required to protect employee from flying fragments, objects, large chips, particles,  sand, dirt, etc. For severe exposure, add  face-shield over safety glasses.
c. Goggles - 100% UNCW
(1)  Chemical / Dust Nuisance	As required to protect employees from  chemical splashes, mist, sprays, or nuisance  dust. For severe exposure, add face-shield  over goggles.
(2)  Welding Goggles - Indirect                Ventilation	As required to protect employees against  hazards of welding, cutting, and brazing  operations.
(3)  Cup Goggles - Direct Ventilation	As required to protect employee against eye  hazards.
(4)  Cup Goggles - Indirect Ventilation	As required to protect employee against eye  hazards.
2.   Welding Helmet - 100% UNCW	As required to protect employee against eye  hazards of welding, cutting, and brazing  operations.
3.   Face Shield - 100% UNCW	As required to protect employee's eyes and  face.
4.   Hard Hat - 100% UNCW	As required to protect employee's head against impact and falling or flying objects.  Class A - used in construction and general  industry where there is no exposure to high  voltage, electrical shock or burns.  Class B - use to protect the head against  high voltage electricity.  Reference: ANSI-Z89.1-1986.
5.  Hard Hat Liners - 100% UNCW	As required to protect employee against the  cold weather if hard hat is worn.
6.  Respirators - 100% UNCW	As required to protect employee from airborne contaminants.
7.  Gloves - 100% UNCW	As required to protect employee from physical, biological, chemical, radiation, or electrical  hazards. Gloves used for electrical protection  must be marked as to class of equipment and  whether or not they are ozone-resistant, and  shall meet the (ASTM) D 120-87 Specification  for Rubber Insulating Gloves
8.  Coveralls or Aprons
a.  Canvas - 100% UNCW	As required to protect employee from contact with hazardous substances when canvas  provides adequate protection.
b.  Non-porous (plastic/rubber) -           100% UNCW	As required to protect employee from con-  tact with hazardous substance when plastic  or rubber is needed to provide adequate  protection.
c.  Leather or other flame-resistant          material - 100% UNCW	As required to protect employee from hazard- ous substances when leather is needed to  provide adequate protection and when leather  or other flame-resistant material is required to  protect employee from fire hazards.
9.  Body Protection - 100% UNCW      Personal protective footies, vests, aprons      coats, pants, coveralls and suits in a      range of suitable materials and sizes.	As required to protect employee against  biological, radiation, physical, or chemical  hazards. Base selection on information in the  workplace hazards control program.  Reference: Appropriate OSHA-NC standard(s)  on purchase request.
10. Foot Protection
a. Safety Shoes:  The university will pay           up to $80.00 (or the contract            cost if less than $80.00) for one            pair of safety shoes per year per           employee.   Any additional cost            would be paid by the employee            to the vendor at the time of purchase.	As required to protect employee working in  areas where there is a danger of foot injuries  due to falling or rolling objects, or objects  piercing the sole, and where protection is  needed against electrical hazards. As required  to protect employees from solid objects weigh-  ing 15 lbs. Or greater that (1) are handled  routinely each work period (more than once per eight hrs.) by the employee or other employees,  or (2) can fall on the exposed employee's toes  from a height exceeding one foot. In general,  does not apply to office employees.
b. Rubber and Specialized Safety        Boots - 100% UNCW	As required to keep employee's feet dry when employee routinely works in wet locations such  as flooded ditches and to protect from electrical  hazards or other hazards requiring specialized  safety boots.
11. Safety Belts, Harnesses, and Life-       Lines - 100% UNCW	As required to protect employees from falling while working at elevated (10 ft. or greater)  locations not protected by standard guardrails  or safety nets or as required when working in  confined areas.
12.  Safety Nets - 100% UNCW	As required to protect employees working  over 25 feet above ground or water surface  where other protective devices are impractical  and conventional fall protection system cannot  practically be made use of.
13.  Ear Protection - 100% UNCW	As required to protect employee against hearing loss due to noise.
14.  Life Ring - 100% UNCW	As required to protect employee from drowning.
15.  Life Jacket (Flotation Vest) -        100% UNCW	As required for employees working over or  near water where the danger of drowning  exists.
16.  Other:	Departments and activities are to determine other requirements for personal protective  equipment not mentioned in this section in  consultation with the Environmental Health and Safety Department.